Video seems to be all anyone is talking about lately when it comes to social media. But the quick behind the scenes snippets posted on Facebook or Instagram don’t require quite the same prep as a full-scale branded video. That’s not to say that they don’t demand a certain level of quality to impress your viewers, but a true branded video needs to hit, and hit hard, on two fronts—video views and completion rates. That’s how you determine if people thought your content was interesting and worth their time AND if they enjoyed the video when everything was said and done.

Want to make sure your audience or customer is not only investing their time in your video, but also that they’re glad they did? Here are our tips for making your next branded video a success:

Be Timely

Your business isn’t operating in a vacuum. Choosing to piggyback on an upcoming event can be a smart way to further leverage the content of your branded video. This is not to say you should tie into the World Series if your business has nothing to do with baseball or sports, but if the event connects to your brand or it makes sense for your brand to be linked to the event, give it a go.

The next question you should ask yourself (once you determine that there is something to join your company with the event) is how can my company add to the conversation around this happening? Is there a larger conversation you can participate in that still allows you to accomplish a marketing objective for your brand? If the answer is yes, then it’s time to take this video idea for a spin.

Be Form-idable

Pardon our playing with the English language, but once you have determined a video works for your company’s marketing objectives, the next step is to pick the right format:

Short and sweet—Think a 30-second spot that gets in and gets out without taking up too much of the viewer’s time. Studies have shown this time amount is the sweet spot for online videos.

Demo time—Another option is a tutorial or demonstration for your product that doubles as an ad. The audience learns something and you promote your brand, a win-win for all.

In depth—Some topics simply demand more time. That’s when a long-form video is needed, and if your efforts are compelling enough, people will stick around.

Be Subtle

Yes, this is a video about your brand, but nothing makes viewers run away in droves like an over-the-top promotional video. Use a light touch with your branding, focusing instead on offering valuable information that viewers will want to learn about and share.